Innovation
by VoodooQueen
Summary: REVISED 7/2/08! The Autobots are contacted by someone who claims they can be of assistance to them. Who is this person and what is their real motivation? More importantly, what are they hiding and how far will they go to reach their goal?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I know I'm terrible for posting this instead of an update to my existing stories, but I felt compelled. I watched this really old Stanley Kubrick movie on late night tv and it kind of planted this seed in my head. I had to write it down...and now I'm sharing it with you guys! Lucky you, lol. Anyways, if you guys like it I may continue it. This first chapter is mostly a lot of talkie talkie, but if you guys do want me to continue, I promise it gets better. Let me know what ya think. I promise updates for my other stories are well on their way to being posted. See ya at the bottom!**

**Author's Update: This chapter has undergone a slight revision as of 7/2/08. Read it! You'll be better able to understand the plot as the story continues!!**

**Disclaimer: In a perfect world I would own Transformers...but it's not...so I don't...**

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innovation: /noun/ 1: the introduction of something new 2: a new idea, method, or device

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**Washington D.C., Four Weeks after the Battle at Mission City**

"Captain Lennox!"

William Lennox stopped in his tracks as he heard his name being called and sighed. It had been a long week. He hated D.C., too much political and bureaucratic bullshit for his tastes. He had been stuck before a Defense Department panel and a group from the Department of Homeland Security for the better part of a week, fielding questions about his new friends and allies, the Autobots.

The government, quite naturally, had an aversion to allowing giant, weapon toting robots from outer space remain on American soil without some sort of reassurance that they would behave themselves and not pose a threat to national security. While many within the government ranks had been welcoming of the newcomers, so long as they agreed to abide by certain rules, it was no secret that there were also those that believed the Autobots posed an iminent threat to life on Earth and wished nothing more than to see them gone. Or worse.

Lennox, as the military liason for the Autobots, had been trying to reassure the higher ups that the Autobots had every intention of cooperating with whatever plan the government came up with to allow them to remain on this planet. Hell, it wasn't exactly like the Autobots had anywhere else to go. According to them, their planet was effectively sitting 'dead in the water' so to speak, thanks largely to the actions of one megalomaniacal bot by the name of Megatron.

Will longed to go home to see his wife and baby daughter. He had barely seen either of them since his arrival back in the States. It had been one disaster after another it seemed. The last thing he wanted was to answer more questions or listen to any more paranoid ranting. Reluctantly, however, he turned toward the person calling his name. "Yes?"

A tall black man extended his hand to Lennox as he approached. He was clean cut and dressed down in a pair of jeans and a UCLA sweatshirt. "I'm Lt. Colonel Aaron Harper, U.S. Airforce. I'm glad I caught you before you got away."

Lennox cast a wanting look at the car that waited at the curb to take him to the airport before accepting the man's hand and shaking it. "What can I do for you, Sir?"

Harper smiled. "I'll make this quick, Captain. I know you're tired and I know you're anxious to get home to your family. I'll get right to the point."

Will nodded. "I'd appreciate that."

Harper, never missing a beat, continued. "I work in the field of research and developement in conjunction with civilian contractors to provide resources and weapons for the entire military..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." Will shook his head, intent on cutting off the conversation before it went any further. "The Autobots have already stated that they will not hand over any information in regards to weapons or components that would give this country an unfair advantage in the global scheme..."

Harper broke in. "Captain, you misunderstand what I'm getting at. I'm not asking for them to hand over anything of the sort. I'm offering them assistance."

Will looked confused. "Assistance?"

"Captain, I have the privilege of working with some of the greatest minds in the engineering and technology fields." Harper smiled. "It is my understanding that there was a casualty among their ranks, yes?"

Will was a becoming a bit uncomfortable with the conversation. He answered hesitantly. "Yes...one of them suffered irrepairable damages according to their medical officer. The technology isn't available here to fix him."

"They have a doctor with them?" Harper cocked an eyebrow, seemingly a bit perplexed. The man let out an irritated sigh. "Mike is going to just love that."

The Will looked at the man questioningly. "Mike?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Harper shook his head. "Mike Flynn."

Wills eyes widened. He was very familiar with the name. It was stamped on virtually every piece of military equipment he had ever used. "Mike Flynn, as in the weapons manufacturer?"

Harper nodded. "The very same. He's a very good friend of mine and has agreed to extend his services to your friends."

Flynn was heralded as both a hero and a villian by the media. Flynn was the famous mastermind behind most of the smart weapon technology the military currently employed. His fans, mostly old codgers in the Pentagon, declared him a genius, a prodigy, and a patriot. His detractors referred to him frequently as a war monger and death dealer.

It was rumored in certain circles that the man had gone a bit funny in the head. He had hidden himself away somewhere up in the mountains and hadn't been seen in sometime. There was no debating however, that the man was brilliant when it came to designing devastating weaponry. He had, almost single-handedly, ushered in an entirely new era of warfare.

A thought suddenly dawned on Will. "Wait, you've discussed the Autobots with civilian contractors? No one is supposed to be in contact with them without government approval..." Another thought occured to the Captain. "Hold on...how do you know so much about them?" Will realized that he had never seen the man in front of him at any of the meetings he had attended, nor had any of the Autobots ever mentioned him.

Harper waved off his concern. "I have some well informed friends in high places who thought I might be interested in passing the information on to Mr. Flynn, given his expertise."

"Expertise? He builds weapons..."

"Not many people are aware of this, Captain, but he has also made astounding breakthroughs in the areas of advanced robotics, engineering, and artificial intelligence..."

Will interrupted. "Look, Lt. Colonel..."

"Harper."

Will nodded. "These guys aren't some preprogrammed artificial intelligence. They are living, feeling, thinking entities, not robotic drones."

Harper sighed. "Believe me Captain Lennox, no one is more aware of that than Mr. Flynn. I'll be completely honest with you..."

Will crossed his arms. "Please do..."

Ignoring Will's interruption, Harper continued. "I have known Mike a very long time. He's a brilliant scientist and an even better friend. He has...very personal reasons for wanting to help your friends out. I can assure you that those reason's have nothing to do with prestige or monetary gain. Please..." Harper handed Will a card. "Contact Mike. Trust me, they'll want to meet him." With that, Harper left Will standing alone on the sidewalk as he disappeared into the crowd.

Will turned the card in his hands as he got into the waiting car. That had been strange, very strange indeed. So much for spending some much needed time with his wife and daughter. He would definitely have to discuss this matter with Prime and the other Autobots when he got home. Closing the door behind him, Will sighed. "Airport, please."

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Haper rounded the corner, just out of sight of the Captain, watching as the man climbed into the car. He pulled out his cell phone and punched in some numbers. The phone rang three times before it was picked up on the other end.

"This is Mike."

"Hey, Mike. Its Aaron." Harper cleared his throat. "We may have a slight problem..."

"Did you find Captain Lennox?"

"I did, but..." Harper ran a hand through his slightly graying hair.

"But?" The man on the other end of the line seemed to be waiting patiently for an explaination.

"He informed me that they have a goddamn doctor with them. What if..."

"Aaron..." Flynn cut the man off. "I provided for the chance something like this might happen were they ever to...make contact. The device itself is completely inert. It is operated remotely. It blends in perfectly based on the specifications that were gathered from the other specimen. Its completely based on their own technology. It should be undetectable upon inspection."

Harper shifted a bit uncomfortably, switching the phone to the other ear. "Are you certain? You know what would happen if we were found out..."

"No one is going to find out...and if they do, it'll be too late. This has been in planning for years. I don't know about you, but I'm not just going to sit idly by and wait for them to enact their plans. We have to strike first. We have to obliterate the threat."

Harper was silent a moment before he spoke. "You do realize the implications of what we're doing?"

"I do..." Flynn paused for a moment. "Mutual assured destruction."

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**Tranquility, The next morning**

Will groaned in relief as he pulled himself up into the cab of the GMC Topkick that was waiting for him when he got off the plane. "Hey, big guy."

"Will." Ironhide's deep voice poured out of the speakers in greeting. "How was your trip?"

Will sighed. "Same old, same old. A bunch of crotchety old politicians asking me the same questions over and over again. You know, 'where did you guys come from', 'why are you here', 'what are your intentions'..."

Ironhide grunted. "I never did care much for politics...Just a bunch of slag if ya ask me."

Will nodded. "I'll second that." He closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the seat, content to let Ironhide do the driving. Suddenly remembering the business card he had tucked into his wallet, he cracked one eye open. "Hey, 'Hide?"

"Hmm?"

Will shifted slightly as he tried to get more comfortable. "Before we go home, can you run me out by the base? I need to speak to Optimus about something."

"Sure..." Ironhide slowed as he approached a stoplight. "About the meeting?"

Will shook his head. "Sort of. I spoke with someone after, a Lt. Colonel Harper. He gave me a business card to give to Prime."

Ironhide started to move again as the light turned green. "A business card?"

Will nodded. "He wants you guys to contact a DoD contractor. I'm sure it's nothing, but it was kind of odd. I just want to pass it on."

Ironhide's curiosity was piqued. "What kind of contractor?"

"The guy's name is Mike Flynn. His company produces smart weapons for the military" Will paused. "I already told Harper that you guys weren't divulging information relating any of the weapons you may have."

Ironhide scoffed. "What did he say to that?"

Will tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "He said it wasn't like that. He said Flynn wanted to offer you guys some help..."

"A weapons contractor? Help us out?" Ironhide nearly laughed. "I AM a weapons specialist, Will. My cannons are far more advanced than any technology your military could hope to come up with. I don't think he could be of much assistance."

"I don't think he wants to sell you guns, big guy..." Will trailed off.

Ironhide sensed there was something else. "What is it, Will?"

"He mentioned Jazz..."

End of Chapter 1

**There you have it guys, the first chapter. Again, I apologize that this isn't an update to a different story. The updates are coming, I promise! Anyways, I hope you guys liked this. Hit me up and let me know what you think. If you guys dig it I may put up the next chapter later. Catch ya later!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Hey again, guys! I decided to go ahead and post the next chapter. I know I should really be working on my other stories (I'm gonna update, Yaya...I promise!!). I just can't get this story out of my head for the moment, so please be patient while I purge, lol. So, I hope you guys dig this chapter. Read it and throw down a review if you feel so inclined...even if it is just to tell me to get back on track, lol. **

**Author's Update: This chapter has undergone a very slight revision as of 7/2/08. I believe it will make the plot run smoother as I go. For those of you that have read this already, you may want to skim back through the first chapter also 'cause I tweaked to better flow with where I'm headed. I think you'll be better able to understand where I'm going with this. Happy reading!**

**Disclaimer: Say what? No, silly. I don't own Transformers...**

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innovation: /noun/ 1: the introduction of something new 2: a new idea, method, or device

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**Autobot Headquarters**

"So, this...Michael Flynn is a weapons merchant?"

Will rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably as he looked up at Prime. "Weapon's contractor. His company builds and supplies most of the weapons for the U.S. military. From what I understand, he also has an extensive background in engineering and robotics."

Optimus eyed the business card, which looked every bit like a small piece of confetti as he held it between two enormous fingers. "Why does he wish to speak with us?"

"I honestly can't say." Will shrugged. "I told you exactly what the Lt. Colonel told me. He was very vague..."

"What of this Lt. Colonel, Captain Lennox?" Ratchet spoke up from where he leaned casually against the wall with his arms folded against his chest plate.

Optimus nodded in agreement with Ratchet's question. "Yes. Do we know for sure that he is who he says he is?" He looked down at the human.

"Yeah." Will nodded up at Optimus. "I made a few calls on the way here. He seems to be legit. He's the high ranking guy at the military's top research facility out here. Really close with Mike Flynn too, from what I've been told. They met while they were both attending MIT. They've been friends ever since."

Optimus continued to study the card. "The Colonel...You say he mentioned Jazz?"

"Uh..." Will shifted from foot to foot. "No, not by name...but I got the feeling he knew a lot more than he let on. He never really said where he was getting his intel from..."

Ratchet snorted. "He's probably trying to get his friend a nice cybertronian specimen to dissect and study...I really don't like where this is heading..."

Bumblebee chirped in alarm at the medic's words and a shudder wracked his yellow frame. He had come close to meeting that fate himself. He still hadn't quite gotten over his ordeal with Sector Seven. A sudden burst of static emmited from his vocal processor. "You don't really think that, do you Ratchet?"

Ironhide seemed to sensed Bee's apprehension and patted the young mech on the back reassuringly. "Take it easy, kid. No one is getting dissected. Not on my watch."

The Autobot Commander returned the card to the human. He stood to his full height and looked at his troops in quiet contemplation for a moment before speaking. "Captain Lennox..." Optimus returned his gaze to the soldier.

Will straightened. "Yes, Sir?"

Optimus smiled a bit at Will's formality. "Make the call."

"Optimus..."

Prime held out a hand to silence his CMO. "It couldn't hurt to hear what this Mike Flynn has to offer. We can always refuse if we don't agree with what he puts on the table."

"Alright, then." Will tucked the card back in his wallet. "If it's alright with you, Optimus, I'll call first thing in the morning. I'd really just like to go home and see Sarah and Annabelle..."

Optimus nodded in understanding. "Your family is your first priority. As it should be. Please give my regards to your wife and daughter."

"I will Optimus. I'll call you when I found out what's going on." Will slapped Ironhide on the foot. "Let's get the hell out of here, 'Hide."

Ironhide grumbled to himself as he followed the Captain outdoors. "Weapons contractor...I still don't see why we need to talk to this human..."

"Less talk, more transforming, big guy. My plane landed two hours ago. Sarah is probably wondering what happened to me by now."

Ironhide grunted as he morphed into the Topkick. "Your female worries entirely too much. She knows you're with me..."

Will smirked as he climbed inside. "That's what worries her..."

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**Lennox Residence, The Next Morning**

"Sarah, honey...have you seen my wallet?!"

Sarah Lennox looked up from feeding her baby daughter breakfast. "It's on the coffee table in the living room!" A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she listened to her husband come bounding down the stairs. It had been entirely too long since he had been home. She had missed him terribly. A few moments later, he entered the kitchen where she sat with Annabelle.

"Thanks, babe." Will bent to kiss his wife. "Don't know what I'd do without you."

Sarah laughed and gave him a wink as she shoveled more pureed bananas into Annabelle's mouth. "You would be utterly and completely lost."

Will shot her a smile as he sat down opposite from her and began to dig through the wallet's contents. "You don't know how right you are." Pulling the now crumpled business card out and laying it on the table he began to search his pockets for his cell phone.

Sarah watched him in amusement for a moment before reaching behind her and retrieving the elusive cell phone from the counter where he had left it the previous evening. "Looking for this?"

"Ah...yes." Will grinned at her sheepishly as he took the phone from her outstretched hand. "Thanks."

"Anytime..." Sarah looked at her watch. Sighing, she stood and scooped up Annabelle. "I have to go. I'm going to drop Annie off with my sister and then I have a meeting with a client in an hour and a half. Are you going to be home late tonight?"

"Probably..." Will fingered the business card. "The Autobots have turned into a full time job...but I'll try to be home in time for dinner."

Sarah nodded in understanding as she bent and gave him a peck on the lips. "I love you."

Will smacked her playfully on the rear as she walked away. "I love you, too." After watching her pack Annabelle into her car and drive away, Will picked up his cell and punched in the numbers printed on the card.

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"Flynn residence. This is Marcy speaking. How may I help you?" A chipper female voice greeted Will as the phone was answered.

Will cleared his throat. "Uh, yes...My name is Captain William Lennox. Lt. Colonel Harper asked me to contact Mr. Flynn regarding my...friends..."

The woman laughed breathily. "Oh, yes! Captain Lennox, I've been expecting your call. In regards to the Autobots...that is what they're calling themselves, correct?"

Will's eyebrows arched. "I'm sorry. Who am I speaking with again?" How many people had Harper shared this information with?

"I'm Marcy Gellner, Mr. Flynn's personal secretary." There was a buzzing sound on the woman's end of the line. "Excuse me one moment, Captain."

The line went silent in Will's ear as he was put on hold. He was startled suddenly by a tap on the kitchen window. Large, blue optics peered through the glass at him. Once he realized what he was actually looking at, Will headed out to the back porch. "Christ, Ironhide! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry..." Ironhide eased himself down to sit on the ground next to where Will stood. "Any luck with the gun seller?"

"Weapon's contractor." Will grinned at the mech. "I'm on hold with his secretary right..."

"Captain Lennox?" The female's voice came back on the line. Her voice sounded a bit strained and not nearly as cheerful as it had before he had been placed on hold.

Will held his index finger up in front of his mouth to silence Ironhide. "Yes, ma'am."

"I apologize for putting you on hold. Mr. Flynn is downstairs working in his lab. He's very eager to speak with you. I'll transfer you now, if that's alright?"

Will thought he detected a slight crack in her voice, as if she were near tears. "Uh, yeah. That would be great."

"Fantastic. One moment, please." There was a click as the phone began to ring through to another line.

The line was picked up after the first ring. The voice that came over the line was deep and slightly rough sounding. "Captain Lennox! I cannot tell you how happy I am to hear from you!"

"Mr. Flynn?" Will could just make out the sound of a pneumatic wrench being used in the background.

"Please, Captain, just call me Mike..." The sound of something clattering to the floor came through the line. "Sweetheart, be careful with that...it's explosive..." The man chuckled. "Sorry about that, Captain. We have a little project going on down here. Anyhow, I'm sure you're a busy man. Lets get down to business, shall we?"

"Please..."

"Right." Flynn sighed. "I'm not sure what all Aaron spoke with you about, but Captain, I honestly believe that I can be of service to the Autobots. I am fortunate enough to be one of the few people in the world with the resources, knowledge, and ability to be able to extend this offer."

Will scoffed. "What is it exactly that you're offering, Mr. Flynn? No one in your camp seems very forthcoming with the details."

Flynn easily sensed the tension in the other man's voice. "I understand your concern, Captain. I also have serious concerns of my own. Believe me, this is a very sensitive situation on my end as well as yours."

Will snorted. "Really? I couldn't tell seeing how highly classified government information seems to have been casually passed around to perfect strangers..."

"I assure you, Captain, that is not the case. I take this situation very seriously as it could have profound repercussions on things that I hold very near and dear to my heart."

Will was unconvinced. "Such as?"

"There are certain things that I feel would be better discussed face to face." Flynn paused. "I think we got a little off track, Captain. I am offering the Autobots all of the resources that I have at my disposal. Money, materials, supplies. All of it. If there is anything at all they need, please, tell them not to hesitate to ask. I would also like to invite them to come out to the house and meet. Perhaps we would be able to clear up some of the questions you have, Captain."

Will, while still harboring concerns, had to admit that Flynn's offer was more than generous. Perhaps a bit too good. "What's in this for you, Mr. Flynn?"

Flynn seemed to hesitate for a moment as if searching for the right words. "Peace of mind, Captain. That, and under the circumstances...it's the right thing to do."

End of Chapter 2

**Hmm...what could possibly be up with this Flynn guy? He seems to be dancing around the subject...I wonder why? Poor Will...Autobot duty seems to be eating into his family time, too. Anyways...I hope you enjoyed this chapter at least a little bit. See ya! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: This chapter has been sitting around on my computer for like a month and I never got around to posting it. I think it's pretty much crap, but I really didn't feel like revising it. I'm trying to clean out all my files and folders and junk. So, what you read is what you get, lol. Definitely NOT my best work. Oh well...**

**Author's Update: 7/2/08...On second thought...I am gonna do a little revising. I can't stand to have something sitting around looking half finished. I've also fiddled around with the first two chapters a bit. I recommend giving them a quick reread to better understand the plot...I believe I made it a little vague what was going on in the first two. See ya!**

**Disclaimer: VQ doesn't own 'em! Don't sue her! **

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innovation: /noun/ 1: the introduction of something new 2: a new idea, method, or device

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Will sat stiffly in Optimus' cab as they neared their destination. For the Captain, it had been a long, six hour drive through the mountains. Needless to say, he was ready to get out and stretch out some of his kinks. The group of Autobots, however, seemed to be enjoying the trip immensely. He supposed it was a refreshing change for them to be out on the open road instead of cooped up in the base as they had been lately.

Will actually felt sympathy for them. He couldn't imagine what it must be like to be forced to hide from everyone. They really didn't have too many friends. The only real contact they had outside of each other was with the handful of humans they had met upon their arrival. At the direction of the government, they were pretty much forbidden from interacting with anyone outside their immediate circle. Their state of isolation saddened Will, even though he understood the government's concerns. People could be dumb, panicky animals. He would hate to think what would happen if the general public got wind of giant, alien robots inhabiting the planet.

Will glanced back through the side mirror to see the others following along behind Prime. Bumblebee followed them directly. The yellow Camaro swerved gently from side to side in the lane earning the flash of lights and 'whoop' of a siren from the medic trailing him. Bee, realizing the warning for what it was, immediately straightened out his driving. Will could see Ironhide, lagging slightly behind as he brought up the rear, no doubt scanning the area for any hostile activity.

Will chuckled to himself as he turned back to face the road. They made quite the caravan. "How much longer, Optimus?"

Optimus' voice rumbled out of the speakers. "Approximately ten more minutes."

Will shook his head. "I don't understand why this Flynn guy found it necessary to live out here in the middle of nowhere. This is ridiculous."

The rumble of laughter came through the speakers. "Your family resides outside of the urbanized area."

Will snorted. "Yeah, but we don't live hours away from civilization...I can understand wanting your privacy, but come on."

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After a few more minutes of traveling in silence, the semi rounded a curve and their destination came into view. Mike Flynn's house, actually, mansion was a better word, was perched on the side of a mountain overlooking a valley below. The home, while huge, was very plain and somber looking. The stone structure blended easily into its surroundings almost creating the effect of the home being carved out of the ancient rock. If Will had to venture a guess, he figured that was probably the idea. If someone wasn't actually out looking for the place, they would never know it was even here.

The Autobots pulled into the circular drive that curved around the side of the enormous compound. A smiling, petite brunette hurried out to receive them. Will climbed out of Optimus and stretched his arms over his head as the woman approached.

The woman stepped toward the Captain, extending her hand. "Captain Lennox."

Will nodded and shook the offered hand. "Yes, Ma'am."

"It's so nice to meet you." The woman smiled. "I'm Marcy Gellner, Mr Flynn's secretary. We spoke on the phone." The woman's smile faltered slightly as she cast an uneasy glance at the four vehicles parked in the drive. Quickly recovering, she looked back at Will. "Mr. Flynn is on his way out to meet you all. He had a few things to take care of in the lab."

Will thought he saw a pained expression flash across the woman's features for a brief moment, but it was quickly hidden again behind her smile.

"Captain Lennox!" Almost as if on cue, a rather fit looking man dressed in a pair of light khaki pants and a black t-shirt came bounding around the side of the house. He clapped Will on the shoulder in greeting. "I'm so glad you all could make it." He looked toward the motionless vehicles in his driveway and waved. "Please, no need to be shy. Make yourselves at home. Mi casa es su casa."

Optimus was the first to change back into his bipedal robot form, followed quickly by his three companions. Mike Flynn watched the process with a critical eye. As Will observed him, he could tell the man was analyzing everything intricate detail of the transformations, the mechanics of it. The man's scrutiny made Will slightly uncomfortable as did the slight gleam in the man's eyes as he gazed up at the Autobot Commander.

"Simply amazing..." Flynn clapped his hands together and looked toward his assistant. "Wouldn't you say so, Marcy?"

The woman nodded her head slowly, her attention more focused on the larger, more imposing forms of Optimus and Ironhide. "They're a lot bigger than I'm used...than I thought they would be..."

Flynn cleared his throat, causing the woman to snap to attention. His voice held a slight edge as he spoke. "Marcy, could you please run ahead to the lab and make sure everything is...clear?"

The woman flinched as if in pain and backed away, nodding vigorously. "Uh, yes Sir." She quickly turned on her heel and disappeared the same way Flynn had come.

Bumblebee looked after her curiously as she hurried away. As a spy, his instincts told him that something was not quite...right. The woman's behavior suggested that all was not well between herself and the human male. He had a sneaking suspicion that whatever it was somehow coincided with their presence. Deciding to be cautious, he quickly scanned the area. Despite finding nothing out of the ordinary he kept his scanners on high...just in case. Trying to shrug off the feeling, he tuned back in to the conversation going on around him.

Flynn focused his attention back onto his guests, smiling once more. "I can't tell you how much of a pleasure it is to finally meet you all. As you've probably gathered, I'm Mike Flynn. Welcome to my home."

Optimus nodded at the man. "Thank you for you hospitality, Mr. Flynn. I'm Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots." Prime motioned to the other mechs gathered around him, introducing each.

Flynn nodded enthusiastically. "Fantastic. Its a pleasure to meet you all." He glanced up at the sky and frowned. Dark clouds had begun to churn over head. The rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance. "Why don't we move this indoors. There's supposed to be a rather nasty weather system moving in. I'd hate to get stuck out here in a downpour." He looked over to Will and smiled. "We can go back around to the lab. I'm sure they'll find the accomodations there more than adequate."

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The group rounded the side of the compound. There, seemingly anchored into the side of the mountain were two enormous hangar doors made of solid steel and nearly three feet thick. The doors slid open slowly as they approached revealing the gigantic space within. The room was slightly larger than a football field. Its ceiling was high enough that Optimus could stand up straight with several feet above him to spare. It was obviously a work space judging from the tools and equipment stored in various places.

Ratchet glanced around the place. His optics roamed over a large workbench in the far corner of the room. The place eerily reminded him of a hospital back on Cybertron for some reason. He wondered what need the human could possibly have for some of the tools that littered the space. Many of them were similar to the tools he kept at the base to repair his comrades. He had only been half joking when he mentioned the man might be seeking a specimen to study. Now, he wasn't so sure. The medic cast an uneasy optic at the others who all seemed to be doing their own inventory of the room.

Flynn motioned around himself with a proud grin. "This is my humble laboratory." He inclined his head toward Will. "Some of the military's most advanced weaponry was birthed right in this room. I'm sure you can appreciate that, Captain."

Prime raised an optic ridge at the human as he looked around. "You manufacture your weapons here?"

Flynn chuckled. "Not exactly, no. I do, however, work on many of the prototypes in here. Once I get a solid design, I hand it off to my engineers. They handle the rest."

Prime nodded as he continued to survey the room. "I see."

Another large set of doors on the other side of the room creaked open just far enough to allow Marcy to slip through. "Excuse me, Mr. Flynn?"

Flynn eyed his assistant as she entered the lab. He looked quickly to his guests, who seemed to still be scoping out the place. He approached the woman slowly. His voice was low when he spoke. "Everything alright?"

Marcy nodded. "Yeah, but I think you may need to go in there." She tilted her head toward the room she had just left.

Flynn sighed. He didn't need this right now. "Upset?"

Marcy shook her head sadly. "No, just curious. I think maybe..."

Flynn's head shot up. "Marcy, I don't pay you to think..." Mike ran a hand down his face. "We've already discussed this."

Marcy looked pleadingly at her boss. "You don't think it might be best if..."

Mike snapped back at the woman. "I know what is best. Just...keep them entertained." He hooked a thumb back over his shoulder at Captain Lennox and the Autobots.

The woman's shoulder's slumped in defeat. She was, not for the first time, questioning her involvement. "Yes, sir."

Irritated, Mikee rubbed the bridge of his nose and turned back toward his guests and smiled. "Umm, would you excuse me for a moment. I need to attend to something. If you need anything, Marcy will take care of you." He gestured around himself. "Please, make yourselves at home."

Bumblebee, although he appeared to be studying a set of framed schematics on the wall, had been listening carefully to the exchange between Flynn and his assistant. He watched as the man disappeared though the doors. He needed to speak with the others. Something was definitely amiss here. The young scout scanned the area again. He was a bit perplexed to find the lab was insulated with some sort of material that made it impossible to scan beyond it's four walls. Bee's instincts told him that the human was definitely hiding something just beyond the doors he had vanished through. He was going to find out what that something was.

End of Chapter 3

**As I said in the beginning, this is pretty much a crap chapter. I apologize profusely. I promise to do better next time!**


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